Cliff Williams, ContributorAGAINST THE background of my confident prediction in January that 2004 would have been the year when the local racing industry would begin the process of modernisation because of the strong prospects for the lease of the Caymanas racing plant to private investors, I must confess that I am extremely disappointed the process has been delayed indefinitely with the initial rejection of the two bids received.
There can be no question that, in terms of importance in 2004, the news that the National Investment Bank of Jamaica evaluators, who examined the two Proposals For Lease submitted, found it necessary to advise the Government that the bids failed in certain critical areas to meet the criteria for acceptance, eclipsed anything else that might have happened in the industry.
This would include the withholding of nominations by trainers early in September in protest against the Jamaica Racing Commission's to increase penalties for doping offences. The trainers' protest coincided with the passage of Hurricane Ivan, which left only nominal damage in its wake, and two race meetings were lost with the convergence of these events.
ENCOURAGING
What is encouraging, however, is that, although disappointed by the rejection, the potential investors are now more aware of what is necessary additionally and seems undaunted with at least one fully prepared to re-enter the process. In the meantime other players can now make bids and clearly there will be interesting times as the future of the industry unfolds in the coming year.
With reference to the racing itself, although there were too many occasions when the performance of the thoroughbreds failed to grab the headlines and had to share the spotlight with the "politics" of the industry, the big race meetings largely lived up to expectations and served as timely and necessary reminders that as an entertainment spectacle the local version of the Sport of Kings retains its potential.
2004 evolved into another successful year for Hamark
Farms and its principal, Howard Hamilton, who once again was able to enjoy the fruits of his confidence and heavy investment in the breeding and owning of thoroughbreds.
Having won the 2003 Jamaica Derby and 2000 Guineas with A King Is Born he had an identical repeat in 2004 with Distinctly Irish emulating this feat and similarly was runner-up in the St. Leger thus failing to land Triple Crown glory. No other owner in history has ever had this level of success consecutively.
Distinctly Irish demonstrated his class by supplementing the Classic successes with other victories in the top class. The three-year-old gelding was a winner of the Red Stripe Superstakes, Governor-General Stakes and the Harry Jackson Memorial Cup to close 2004 with a career of nine races won from the 11 starts, stakes earnings of close to $10 million and is now the odds-on favourite for Horse of the Year honours.
A King Is Born kept to sprint distances this year, won six of his eight races including the Gold Cup under top weight, the Reggae Trophy, the She's-On-Wheels Trophy at Grade I and the None Such Trophy Grade II, ending the year with career figures of 16 wins from 20 starts with earnings of nearly $8.9 million and is a challenger for Horse of the Year honours once again.
DURABLE
The remarkably durable I'msatisfied, the 2000 Triple Crown Champion and now a seven-year-old, showed spectacular form this year with four wins from 14 attempts including victories in the Viceroy Trophy, the Digicel Irish Jamaican Stakes and the Prime Minister's Stakes. Whilst the speedy Lil' Country Boy dominated the early sprint races with five consecutive victories in the first six months of the year including wins in the Arthur Jones Memorial Cup, the Lotto Sprint trophy, the Eileen Cliggott Trophy and the Lady Geeta Trophy before meeting his match in A King Is Born and I'msatisfied who together denied him another major prize this year. Once again the three-year-old fillies proved to be very moderate indeed with Latonia (since exported to Trinidad & Tobago) winning the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks with no other filly even worth a mention. The colts and geldings hardly did any justice to the breeders either with only Distinctly Irish proving capable of competing in the top class.
The season yielded two important local-bred juveniles in Coltrane and Kamir both from the stables of Richard Azan. The latter turned out to be the champion two-year-old with a front running victory in the deciding Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes over 1600 metres to avenge a two-length defeat in the 1400-metre Breeders Stakes earlier.
SUPERIOR
Coltrane was thought superior going into the Two-Year-Stakes because of impressive victories in the Breeders Stakes, Dewhurst Stakes and the Keeling Memorial Cup but could only manage a well beaten third place behind Kamir. The imported juveniles were not that impressive but in Clockwork, Quiet Strength and Exclusive Runner as well as Senor Gato, who were winners this year; all look capable of going on to better things.
Amongst the professionals nobody emerged to challenge the status quo. Philip Feanny is champion trainer once again regaining his title and the top six which has included Wayne DaCosta 2003 champion, Richard Todd, Anthony Nunes, Percival Hussey and Richard Azan for many years remains intact. Trevor Simpson is champion jockey once again with Shane Ellis, Paul Francis, Charles Hussey, Winston Griffiths, and O'Neil Mullings making up the top six.
Ruth Hussey, matriarch of Jamaica's number one racing family, deserves heartiest congratulations for being the leading owner in 2004 with 38 winners from 169 starts. That outstanding breeder Justice Henry Jaghai is also recognised by this column for lifting another title in this most important of categories. Speaking of breeding, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association annual November Yearling Sale, whilst considered successful, failed to broaden the ownership base with only the committed continuing their involvement.
Jamaica Racing Commission and the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission personnel did as good a job in 2004 as they ever did in the regulation of the industry and the critical functions were carried out effectively in terms of protecting the integrity of the racing product and the gaming conducted on races held inside and outside of Jamaica.
Throughout 2004, the racing office of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), the promoting company, had a great deal of difficulty as it struggled to put together viable racing programmes in a scenario of a dwindling and largely aging horse population plagued with lameness and bleeding problems. There was a great deal of criticism levelled at the office which, in my view, was not fully justified given the circumstances under which the Racing Secretary and his staff was forced to operate and I think that the department did a pretty good job all things considered.
Wagering through simulcast on races held outside of Jamaica continued to register strong growth in 2004 and is now a very significant contributor to the company's revenue base because of the level of consistency with which the tracks are available thus becoming familiar to the punters. With so many local races failing to be competitive there was even a debate as to merits of the Claiming System method of weight allotment which bore no resemblance to the ability of horses and more often than not ended up with inferior horses giving weight to superior horses thus reducing significantly the viable betting interests in about half the races on each programme. Nothing changed as result of the debate and it was business as usual but I suspect that any new investor is going to have to take a serious look at this.
OUTSTANDING YEAR
It was another outstanding year for CTL's marketing department. In addition to attracting new sponsors the five major ones were induced to increase their involvement and make long term commitments as well. From a marketing viewpoint the securing, until 2007, of a Tourism Product Development Company licence is an important achievement. CTL is now a designated tourist attraction recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, the Jamaica Tourist Board, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, is a member of Attractions Jamaica Ltd. and is now featured in the travel and tourism publication Destination Jamaica.
What this means is that the Caymanas racetrack is now recognised as a tourist attraction and is now in the tour itinerary of major hotels and tour operators. Throughout 2004 CTL played host to many groups of visitors from overseas which yielded significant economic benefit and will certainly be a major contributor in the future. CTL continued to demonstrate that it is a responsible corporate citizen in 2004 and is a member of the Portmore Chamber of Commerce committed to the Cluster Development Programme.
This column usually selects a Racing Personality of the Year and it is quite easy to do so this time around. Given the achievements and successes of CTL's marketing programme, the 2004 honour goes to Millicent Lynch, who heads the department and directs the team.
From this column here's a wish for a happy and prosperous New Year to the racing fraternity.
